Tempted (Kotor Novelization)

Chapter 3

Our little adventure didn't start off well. We didn't even take two steps before we spotted a human man in a Sith officer's uniform, flanked by two armed droids, harassing two Duros men.

"Everyone up against the wall; this is a raid!" the man barked. I could tell just by looking at the pair that they had nothing of value for the Sith to take. I was about to step in and teach that man a lesson about bullying innocent people when I remembered that we had to keep a low profile. But these men were innocent, I couldn't let the Sith mug and possibly kill them. Carth's mahogany eyes met my green ones and we seemed to understand each other without saying a single word. The look he gave me said: We're not seriously going to let these men get mugged and possibly killed, are we?

I lifted a blonde eyebrow and my eyes sparkled mischievously. And here I thought we were supposed to be keeping a low profile.

Carth shook his head. Not funny. Our mental conversation was interrupted by the sound of blaster fire. We turned our gazes to the Sith and the pair of Duros... well... the one Duros now. The other one was dead. The man pointed his blaster rifle at the other Duros and smirked cruelly.

"That's how we Sith deal with smart-mouthed aliens." The human man grabbed the back the Duros man's shirt and shoved him against the wall. "Now up against the wall before I lose my temper again!"

Carth and I exchanged glances, neither of us able to stand by and watch while an innocent person gets bullied any longer. I pulled the human man away from the Duros man.

"Why don't you pick on someone who can actually defend themselves?" I yelled at him. The Sith looked at me and a furious-looking Carth, and smirked.

Oh shit, I thought apprehensively.

"I think I will, Republic scum!" And just like that, we got into our first fight. So much for keeping a low profile. The droids and the Sith officer started shooting at us which normally wouldn't be a problem, but the narrow hallway stopped us from being able to move too much. I managed to dispose of the first war droid fairly easily, but I noticed Carth getting in a little more trouble and even had the Sith Officer shooting at him. The Sith Officer managed to get a couple of blaster shots on Carth's leg and shoulder.

While both of them were distracted, I shot the second war droid with the blaster in my right hand and, as the Sith Officer was turning his head to see what happened to his war droid, I gave him a blaster shot right between the eyes just as he realized what was happening. As the Sith Officer slumped the ground, I jogged to Carth, squatted down and injected him with one of our medpacks. The blast points started to heal immediately.

"Thanks," Carth groaned. I grasped his hand and pulled him up to his feet.

"No problem. We're even," I replied, winking at him playfully. Carth ran a hand through his brown hair and smiled, his lips curling in a roguish smile that made him seem a little boyish.

"So, keeping score now, are we?"

"Hey, you saved my ass, so I saved yours. It's no big deal," I said shrugged nonchalantly. I walked over the Duros man who was staring at the bodies in disbelief.

"Are you alright?" I asked the Duros in his native tongue. He jumped up a couple of feet, startled. I guess he wasn't used to humans speaking his language.

"Why did he have to talk back to that Sith? Why?" the Duros sighed. His shoulders slumped, despondent. "Thank you, human. I am sorry, but I have nothing to give you as a reward."

"That's okay. I don't want anything. I'm just glad that I could help," I replied giving him a friendly smile.

"You are too kind, human. Don't worry about the bodies. I'll get rid of them," he said. I lifted in my hands dismissively.